A question of two Harriers

zenrat · January 05, 2016, 11:46:51 PM

A question for you knowledgeable lot.

Which is the better 1/72 Harrier - The old tool Airfix GR1 or the Hasegawa GR1?
I have both in the stash and need to choose one to use for parts. The other (the better one) will be built eventually.
I've grokked them both and the Hasegawa looks to be slightly better.

Thanks

PR19_Kit · January 06, 2016, 02:01:52 AM

How old for the Airfix one?

Their very first Harrier kit, produced around the time of the Trans-Atlantic Air Race IIRC, is really archaic, and you're probably right about the Hase version being better. That one was re-popped by FROG I think, and I still have one of them somewhere.

Gondor · January 06, 2016, 02:05:52 AM

Quote from: zenrat on January 05, 2016, 11:46:51 PM
A question for you knowledgeable lot.

Which is the better 1/72 Harrier - The old tool Airfix GR1 or the Hasegawa GR1?
I have both in the stash and need to choose one to use for parts. The other (the better one) will be built eventually.
I've grokked them both and the Hasegawa looks to be slightly better.

Thanks

You Grokk Correctly Young One

Gondor

zenrat · January 07, 2016, 01:21:17 AM

Thank you oh wise and aged seers.

Hasegawa has proper undercarriage bays rather than recesses and it has a better cockpit but the engine fan isn't as good and the exhaust nozzles are all moulded in 2 parts each.
I think the Airfix boxing is of this style (yes I realise it's a Jaguar but I couldn't be bothered to go down the shed to take a pic and look for a date and I couldn't find a pic of a Harrier box that matched my recollection).

PR19_Kit · January 07, 2016, 01:28:19 AM

So mix and match the fan and nozzles, 'silk purses and sow's ears' come to mind.

JayBee · January 07, 2016, 04:00:37 AM

The original Airfix GR1 was closer to the P1127(RAF) ie pre-production Harrier, but it does have far better tailplanes than the Hasegawa kit.

Jim

Captain Canada · January 07, 2016, 04:21:09 AM

Everybody's already said anything I could think of, plus some !

And that Airfix box is perfect...exactly the kind of pic that makes me want to build a Jaguar !

PR19_Kit · January 07, 2016, 04:30:31 AM

Most of that vintage Airfix box lid models were built by my late friend Don Skinner. Airfix always wanted them in such a hurry that he often only painted one side of the model.

Gondor · January 07, 2016, 04:56:56 AM

Quote from: zenrat on January 07, 2016, 01:21:17 AM

Thank you oh wise and aged seers.
Hasegawa has proper undercarriage bays rather than recesses and it has a better cockpit but the engine fan isn't as good and the exhaust nozzles are all moulded in 2 parts each.

The size of the undercarriage bays is usually a moot point with most aircraft due to almost all the doors being closed when the undercarriage is down. This is to stop FOD getting into the bays.

Gondor